Pipe cleaning fluid

ABSTRACT

Pipe cleaning fluid comprises digallic acid, and other impurities derived from ground briar root and the like, dissolved in a suitable solvent.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,728,264

l 1 Referen ces Cited Widlocher 5] Apr. 17, 1973 541 PIPE CLEANING FLUID 388,759 8/1888 Cameronm. ..252 83 [76] Inventor: Jean Florent Widloclmr, 133, Rue 570l32 12/893 Hagemann d6 ChercheMidi Paris France 1,078,893 11/1913 Allen ..260/473.6

762,635 6/1904 Hurst et al 252/83 [22] Filed: Feb. 19, 1971 1,816,394 7/1931 Muller ..260/473.6 [21] AppLNoi 117,106 2,947,764 7/1960 Zencyak ..260 47 3.6

1 I. i Primary Examiner-George F. Lesmes Foreign Appllcahon Pnonty Data Assistant Examiner-=1. P.Bram1ner Feb. 26, 1970' France .7007003 Arwmey-H0l0mbe, Wetherill & Brisebois [52] US. Cl. ..252/83, 210/58, 260/4716 [57] ABSTRACT [51 Int. Cl. ..C02b 5/06 58 Field of Search ..252/s3-, 260/473.6; Cleamng Comp-S65 dlgalhc am, other 210/58 impurities derived from. ground briar root and the like,

dissolved in a suitable solvent 1 3 Claims, No Drawings 6 ,UNlTED STATES PATENTS 57,219 8/1866 Thomas ..252/83 PIPE CLEANING FLUID SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is well known that nicotine is among those substances which accumulate in the passageways of pipes and cigarette holders, and in the bowls of pipes, and that this accumulation decreases the harmfulness of the smoke.

However, over a long period of time, this accumulation reduces the crosssectional area of the passageways available for the passage of smoke.

It then becomes necessary to periodically clean these passageways, as well as the metallic filters, which are commonly incorporated therein, so as to make the pipe or cigarette holder draw easily again.

It is known that nicotine, which is one of the natural alkaloids of tobacco, is a violent poison which is soluble in alcohol, in ether and in gasoline.

' From among these three solvents, it is logical to think first of ethyl alcohol for dissolving the nicotine accumulated in the passageways, because of the disagreeable odor of ether and the oily nature of gasoline.

Unfortunately, regardless of the concentration of a commercial alcohol, even if the material defining the inner passageway of a pipe or a cigarette holder does not actually retain some of the alcohol because of rapid vaporization of this solvent in the air, it retains after having been in contact with the alcohol a characteristic alcohol odor which is due to the impurities dissolved therein, and which impregnates the material after evaporation of all the alcoholic solvent.

The present invention diminishes these disadvantages and is characterized by the fact that tannin, that is to say digallic acid, is dissolved in a suitable solvent, which may be alcohol, and is adapted to clean pipes and cigarette holders. This tannin reacts with the nicotine accumulated in the pipes or the cigaretteholders at the moment at which the nicotine dissolves in the alcohol, to form an insoluble harmless compound which eventually falls to'the bottom of the container in which one soaksflthe cleaners used to frictionally remove the accumulated nicotine, and in which the insoluble compound which results from the reaction between the nicotine and part of thetannin contained in the alcoholic solution then accumulates.

Experience has shown that it is necessary to macerate in alcohol for a sufficient time, for example a month, the sawdust of certain vegetative products, such as nutgall, oak bark, briar root. The tannin which is found therein becomes dissolved in the alcohol, together with certain other constituents contained in these vegetative products. If the resulting solution is then applied to the nicotine accumulated in a pipe or cigarette holder for cleaning purposes, it is found that the aroma of the tannin which has not reacted with the nicotine and which remains in the alcoholic solution, as well as the aroma of the impurities from said vegetative products, masks that of the normal impurities in the alcohol when these different impurities, after vaporization of said alcohol, impregnate the material of which the pipes and cigarette holders are made, thus considerably reducing the deterioration in the natural aroma of the tobacco smoke.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the tannin in solution in the alcohol is obtained by macerating the sawdust of very old briar root which has been perfectly dried.

r of oak bark rather than the gallnut, so as to avoid im In this case, independently of the aroma of the-tannin, that of the impurities from the briar root makes it possible to reconstitute a taste very comparable to that v of the smoke of a pipe which has. not been in contact with alcohol and is made of this material.

Since pure tanninis soluble not only in alcohol but partially soluble in water, it is possible to use any commercial alcohol having a titer equal to at least 40 and less than 90.

The volume of sawdust is preferably between onefourth and onehalf the volume of the alcoholic solvent.

However, the applicant has found that, even when using the sawdust of briar root, it is not always possible 1 to completely mask the particular aroma due to the impurities in the alcohol used, which impregnate said pipes or said cigarette holders after complete vaporization of the alcohol. To obtain better results it is recom mended to add to the alcoholic solution obtained by macerating the sawdust and by decantation, a tiny trace of essential oil of tobacco flower, which product is known to all perfumers and is sold by specialized manufacturers or wholesale druggists.

It is easy to understand that the use of a trace of another essential oil involves the risk of rendering the taste of the tobacco smoke less natural. It will also be noted that the duration of the macerating process and the quantity of sawdust to be macerated maybe varied with respect to the volume of alcohol used within broad limits, dependent upon whether the vegetative product used is more or less rich-intannin.

In like manner, the total quantity of tannin dissolved in the alcohol must be sufficient to be able to react with the quantity of nicotine accumulated, but, on the other hand, if this concentration is too great it may also impair the aroma of the tobacco smoke, in the absence of a small quantity of essential oil of the tobacco flower capable of overcoming this disadvantage.

Finally, it will be readily understood that, independently of the tannin, it is preferable to use thesawdust pregnating the pipes and cigarette holder tobe cleaned with strongly aromatic impurities which are capable of impairing the taste of the tobacco smoke after this cleaning. It should be noted that, independently of its use for the cleaning of encrusted pipes and'cigarette holders, the product according to the invention may be used to preventively impregnate the superficial pores of the passageways of these pipes or cigarette holders so that, after complete evaporation of the solvent used, the particles of tannin dissolved therein are deposited on the walls of these pores. It is easy to understand that, in this case, the nicotine contained in the smoke, instead of being immediately frictionally deposited upon walls of these passageways is at least partially neutralized by the presence of the tannin retained in said pores and is transformed into an inoffensive. product, .thus' delaying the moment at which nicotine itself is off the solution thus obtained.

2. Solution as claimed in claim 1 in which the volume of said particles is at least equal to the volume of said alcohol.

3. Solution as claimed in claim 1 which includes a trace of the essential oil of tobacco flower 

2. Solution as claimed in claim 1 in which the volumE of said particles is at least equal to the volume of said alcohol.
 3. Solution as claimed in claim 1 which includes a trace of the essential oil of tobacco flower. 